Hermitage Notes - Those People On The Fringe

Archbishop Thomas Rodi, in his Christmas homily to all the parishes in the Mobile Archdiocese, talked about how God first announced the Birth of Christ to smelly shepherds. 

He explained how shepherds lived on the fringe of society and were not accepted by people of better social reputation. 

He talked about how we have sanitized the message of Advent and turned it into plays for children. 

Archbishop went on to talk about how Jesus touched and ministered grace to those considered untouchable by the religious elite. 

Thank you, Archbishop Rodi. 

It is good that you remind your flock that it was to the least of the least that God first announced the Birth of Christ in that lowly Bethlehem manger. 

Without specifically calling me by name, Archbishop reminded me of how I was one of those people living on the fringe [honestly below the fringe] when Jesus knocked on the door of my heart. I'm glad that my life on the fringe wasn't a put-off to him.

Thank you, Archbishop Rodi, for the reminder that, just as Christ was born in that feed trough to bring salvation to the world, he has been born in our hearts for us to take him into the world.